University of North Carolina at Asheville
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Title |
Anthony (Tony) Lord Oral History |
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Creator |
Dorothy Joynes for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection |
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Subject |
LCSH: |
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Subject |
Keyword: Architecture ; Asheville Buncombe Library System ; UNC Asheville ; Sondley Collection ; Tree and Greenway Commission ; Quality Forward ; Six Associates |
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Description |
Abstract:
Anthony Lord describes his
career as an architect in Asheville. He also discusses his
involvement with the Asheville-Buncombe Library System Board of Trustees, which
began with his appointment in 1945. He describes the old Pack Memorial Public
Library, its lack of space and his push for the larger building on Haywood
Street. He describes the Sondley Collection and a stipulation in the document
willing it to the library which reserved it for the use of "well-conducted,
non-smoking, white people." The will eventually was broken. Lord describes
how the first library branch was for Asheville's black residents. He notes that
desegregation changed this system. |
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Publisher |
D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804 |
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Contributor |
Anthony (Tony) Lord |
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Date |
Electronic Record Issued: 2002-05-16 |
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Type |
Sound ; Text ; Image |
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Format |
Physical Description: 10-page abstract ; 2 90-minute audiocassettes and 2 copies ; 5 color photographs ; newspaper articles and brochures |
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Identifier |
http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/VOA/I_M/Lord_A.html |
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Source |
OH-VOA L67 An |
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Language |
English |
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Relation |
References: SHRC Henry Irven Gaines Oral History ; VOA John Bridges Oral History ; VOA Mary Parker Oral History |
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Coverage |
1930's-1993 ; Asheville, NC |
| Rights | No restrictions: Copyright retained by the authors of certain items in the collection or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law. |
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Acquisition |
Donor number: 146 ; Date of acquisition: 1998 |
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Processed By |
Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard and staff |
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Interview Date |
1993-01-18 |
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Interview Location |
267 Flint St., Asheville, NC |
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Biography |
Lord began working with his father, also an architect, in their firm, Lord and Lord. To supplement his income during the Depression, Lord formed Flint Architectural Forgings beside his house on Flint Street in Montford. There, he practiced the blacksmith trade he had learned as a teen-ager. His grill work can be found in Biltmore Forest homes, the National Cathedral in Washington and at Yale University, his alma mater. In 1941, Lord, four other architects and an engineer formed Six Associates to capture contracts for large government projects. Projects he designed throughout his career include: the Asheville Citizen-Times building, the Black Mountain Branch Library and the complex housing the West Branch Library; the Montreat Commercial Center; and the D. Hiden Ramsey Library at UNCA. |
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List of names |
[II/1/53] Algary, William F. (Bill) |
Side 1:[1] During the War, when architects were unemployed, he worked in metal. He set up the Flint Architectural Forgings beside his house. A floor lamp is owned by the Museum of Art (for the show in 1984 - see enclosed), work went to Yale, the National Cathedral, and grill work was put on the porch and doors in a Biltmore Forest house for safety protection (as a reaction to the Lindberg baby kidnapping) [Hampton Frady, Charles Lindberg] [47] He worked with his father, who died in 1933, and marketed his iron work in New England. [William Henry Lord] [69] The Six Associates, formed in 1941, was a response to the need for a large group to handle government projects. [Charles Waddell, father of Eleanor Stephens. See photo in An Uncommon School by Eileen McCabe with tape of McCabe interview] [90] He did several commercial buildings (Citizen-Times Building) in the 30's but the war shut down the business. [97] With the pooled resources of the Six Associates, Federal contracts were secured. [Charles Waddell, William Dodge, Stewart Rogers, Erle Stillwell, Henry Gaines, Anthony Lord.] [124] After the war the group reformed. [136] He did several residences but, while it was an area that was "easy to fall into," he didn't like this kind of work. He had to educate every client and didn't like to see big unnecessary columns. Blacksmithing "felt good in the hands" - he had 5 working in the shop. They taught him technique and he taught them design. [214] With the assistance of William E. McGee, he designed the UNCA Library. He hopes the big front doors are still vivid red. [William McGee (See UNCA: the First 60 Years by William Highsmith, p. 63)] [234] Different types of buildings have their own set of requirements and codes that must be met (e.g. numbers of risers in a building before a landing - there are 13 in the Library - I recounted today!) [268] The small garden outside the children's room (of Pack Library) is discussed. (The tree is a contorted hang tow, not a curly willow). [Ed Sheary] [318] He has been on the Library Board 50 years (see Happenings 11/92)[47 years] and discusses old Pack Library and problems with space. Pictures were borrowed for the renovated basement room and Friends of the Library donated a Steinway piano (now in the new Lord Auditorium). Lectures, recitals and programs were held there. (see enclosures). [John Bridges] [431] Copies of masterpiece paintings. records, tapes, VCR and compact discs are available. Popular books, that might at some time be made into a movie are kept, along with books for the annual book sale, in the storage stacks. [Mary Parker] [505] There was a need for a new library when he joined the board. The Blue Bird Ice Cream parlor was bought and incorporated. Drunks broke the windows and the police referred to the Library people as "Rowdy Library People!" [Margaret Ligon] Side 2:[2/1] The land, now occupied by the Library and the Parking Garage was once a garage. [Harry Blomberg] [2/20] Thanks to Revenue Sharing, the Library was paid for before moving time. [Richard Nixon, John Bridges] [2/33] The newspaper editor was helpful in keeping library activities before the public. The Friends of the Library were very active. [James B. Wilson, Nancy Brower (later Nancy Marlowe)] [2/56] The Friends of the Library have been active since the early 1920's and are now a force in North Carolina. Books were sent overseas during the war (see enclosure). [2/70] A bill, which will affect the Library, may come up in the next legislature. The city funded the library for years but it is now under the county finances. [2/129] The Library budget is around two million dollars. The Friends supplement through displays, lectures, etc. There is a trust fund reserve to be spent for extras not in the budget, e.g. staff improvement (courses, workshops, etc.) [2/186] Computerization may not save employee labor but, since it is faster, the library can give better service. [2/202] Stipulations in the will leaving the Sondley collection to the library contained a clause which caused pain to the board, that it was for the benefit of "well-conducted, non-smoking white people." After much negotiating, the will was broken, the 40,000 volumes sold to a dealer in Chapel Hill, and the proceeds put in the trust fund (mentioned above). Some of the books were retained however, and are in the NC Room. [Forster A Sondley, George Stephens, Betty Lawrence] [2/395] The bookmobile no longer goes in to remote coves but serves more people with fewer stops by going to nursing and retirement homes (see enclosure). [Katherine Case, also spelled "Catherine" in paper] [2/445] The alarm system, which alerts librarians to books not properly checked out has become necessary. [John Bridges] [2/480] The first branch was for Blacks on Market and Eagle. With desegregation, branches, attached to Fire Stations, were developed through the area. The first was in West Asheville. (see attached) [Almira (Mrs. J. Wall) Anderson] Tape 2:[II/1/2] He discusses the enclosed clipping of 1956. He provided 2 trees for Pritchard Park and the city planted them. One still survives. When the fountain was built one was taken out. [II/1/53] He approached the manager of Penney's store [also on City Council, 1958], bought trees (London plane trees) and the city cut holes and planted them on Haywood and Otis Streets. They flourished. [Bill Algary] [II/1/79] The Central Asheville Association planted trees on East Page up to Battle Square. [II/1/109] During Quality '76 (later Quality Forward), he secured trees and the city cut holes for them around the Arcade Building. He decided that, if the matter went to the city fathers, the project would be discouraged! [II/1/131] He made a map of the area and numbered the trees so he could keep track. The President of Wachovia Bank worked with him. [Hugh Gentry] [II/1/144] Maples were planted on Woodfin Street. They did not require holes in the sidewalk. Haywood Street with London plane trees came later. [Elizabeth Waddell, Jack Woodstock] [II/1/174] The new manager of Penney's [perhaps Roy Burchfield, Penney's manager in 1977], concerned about his sign being obscured and the city, concerned about a lawsuit from branches dropping, trimmed the trees. This he felt was a barbarous act and went into the Wachovia Bank, which had the Penney's account. They got together with the city manager, council members and the mayor. The Tree Commission was formed. [Verne Rhoades, Jr., John Reed, Bill Moore, Ken Michalove, Norma Price] [II/1/267] Under the Tree Commission the various civic groups worked together (utilities, such as phone, power, water, etc.) [John Reed] [II/1/287] The Chamber of Commerce catalogued the trees. Quality Forward and interested citizens became involved in the city trees. [Susan Mayor (later Susan Roderick), Dr. J. Lowell Orbison] [II/1/313] The Tree and Greenway Commission was formed. There are now trees all over the business district. [II/1/353] Care of the trees in now under Parks and Recreation, and there is talk of having them take over the sidewalks as well. [Ray Kisiah] [II/1/378] He discusses the trees and courtyard on Lexington Ave. [John Reed, John Lantzius] [II/1/441] He discusses the 1984 showing of his work and the iron work he did during the Depression (see tape1). |
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